This site may earn affiliate commissions from the links on this page. Terms of use.

Ahead of the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) which kicks off with Microsoft’s keynote address this afternoon, Nintendo has preemptively released a ton of information about its new console, the Wii U. The full announcement video is embedded below — or read on for the highlights.

Hardware-wise, there are only two significant changes since the Wii U’s unveiling last year: the Wii U controller (now dubbed the Wii U “GamePad” or the Second Screen) now has a built-in NFC/RFID reader. This will be used to read RFID-implanted cards, though the exact extent of this functionality will no doubt be detailed tomorrow during Nintendo’s E3 keynote. Presumably, though, these cards (such as Pokemon cards) will be used to add new monsters/levels/loot to games.

The other big change is the addition of a universal infrared remote control to the Wii U Gamepad (pictured above), and the ability to pull up a TV guide. Nintendo isn’t yet sharing info on how it will obtain TV guides from various cable, satellite, and free-to-air broadcasts, but presumably it has found a way.

The Wii U Gamepad is slightly wider, too, and its flat thumbpads have flowered into full-grown analogue thumbsticks. The screen is the same size and resolution — 6.2 inches, 854×480 — and we assume it’s still a resistive touchscreen (though some rumors suggest it could become capacitive before release). The console itself and the gamepad will continue to work in unison, providing what Nintendo president Satoru Iwata calls “asymmetric diversity” (what you see on the gamepad can be wildly different from what’s on the TV). Again, to see whether this is as awesome as it sounds, we’ll have to wait for Nintendo’s E3 keynote.

Finally, there’s also a completely new gamepad: The Wii U Pro controller. Basically, this is a non-patent-infringing doppelganger of the Xbox 360 controller, designed to be used with fast-paced FPSes (such as Call of Duty) that are apparently coming to the Wii U. Old controllers, such as the Wiimote, nunchuk, and Wii Fit board will continue to work with the Wii U, too.

It’s a social orgy

On the software side of things, however, things are very different indeed. Through the introduction of the Miiverse, Nintendo is promising to make everything on the Wii U a social activity. The first thing you see after powering on the Wii U is the Miiverse: Lots of little Miis, clustered around various activities and games (pictured above). Assuming you’re connected to the internet, the Miiverse will be populated with Miis from all over the world — and you might even see Miis clusters around games that you don’t own yet (but which Nintendo obviously thinks you ought to own).

There’s more! Once you’re in a game, the Miiverse acts as a social network, allowing you to communicate with other gamers who are also playing the same game. The idea is that, if you die or get stuck, you can quickly pop open the Miiverse and ask for help. The video (embedded below; fast-forward to 12:30) even suggests that you’ll be able to open up a video chat with other (completely random!) Miiverse members. Perhaps most interestingly, Nintendo says the Miiverse will also be accessible from any web-connected device (PC and smartphone), including the 3DS. It looks like video and voice chat will work between devices. Yes, Nintendo is finally going mobile.

Unrelated to Miiverse, Nintendo has also announced that the Wii U Gamepad will have a web browser (probably powered by Opera). You can browse websites on the gamepad, and then flick pages onto the TV if you want to share something with everyone else. There’s no word on whether this browser will support webmail or other complex, dynamic websites (but here’s hoping).

Alone together

The driving force behind the Wii U’s social orgy, according to Iwata, is Nintendo’s continuing efforts to bring people together via technology. Citing Sherry Turkle’s book Alone Together, which deals with the physical solitude of high-tech society, Nintendo desperately wants the Wii U to break the mold and bring people together. Much as the Wii reinvented living room gaming, Nintendo wants to create a whole new living room/TV dynamic with the Wii U (though with a limit of just one Wii U Gamepad per console, I daresay this isn’t quite the end of iPads and laptops in the living room).

Nintendo also hopes that the Miiverse will breed more “empathy” between Wii U players — especially solo gamers. Some games might include a Miiverse overlay (on the Second Screen) with notes left by other users (pictured above). Presumably you can then tap these notes to talk to other players, share tips, and make new friends. The big question is whether the Miiverse can be turned off — and as a corollary, whether the Wii U and its games itself will be “always on” like Diablo 3.

Personally, I’m very excited about the Wii U, and — like the Wii — I think its immediate success will be guaranteed by first-party franchises and quirky party games. Its continuing success will hinge on third-party support — though considering Nintendo’s promises that the Wii U will have the cojones to play modern FPSes like Call of Duty, there could be hope in this department too. If the Wii U is launched this fall, Nintendo could have a 12- or 24-month head start on Sony and Microsoft — if it can capitalize on the advantage and convince Xbox 360 and PS3 owners that the Wii U is worth investing in, Nintendo could be onto a big winner.

Tagged In

This site may earn affiliate commissions from the links on this page. Terms of use.

ExtremeTech Newsletter

Subscribe Today to get the latest ExtremeTech news delivered right to your inbox.

Email

This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our
Terms of Use and
Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletter at any time.